JALAL-ABAD, Kyrgyzstan -- Kyrgyz interim President Roza Otunbaeva says the government will abolish some taxes for the two southern cities of Osh and Jalal-Abad, where clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz have caused significant destruction, RFE/RL's Kyrgyz Service reports.

Otunbaeva made the announcement during a visit today to Jalal-Abad. She said the government adopted a decree freeing the cities of some taxes to help them recover from "the devastating consequences of the Kyrgyz-Uzbek clashes."

She did not specify which taxes would not be levied or how long the tax break will last.

Otunbaeva visited Jalal-Abad with acting Defense Minister Ismail Isakov. She stated at the meeting with city authorities that security in Jalal-Abad and other southern regions is the interim government's major priority.

At least 208 people were killed and hundreds of others injured during clashes between ethnic Uzbeks and Kyrgyz in the two cities began on June 10. Hundreds of thousands of others fled their homes, with some 100,000 fleeing to Uzbekistan.